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From the Editor

Wednesday, 04 May 2011 10:02 Greg Archer Columns - Editors Note
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greg_archerPlus Letters to the Editor &

American Idol: The Durb Watch


Capturing the world's most notorious criminal. Where do you go from there? At the moment, I'm not sure that's a real issue. After a stunning announcement Sunday night by President Barack Obama that Osama bin Laden was found and killed in Pakistan, confidence in the President has shot high (to say the least) but the emotional ripple effects of a bin Laden-less world are still playing out.

After nearly 10 years—more actually—of having the mystique of Osama "out there," and having endured Bush's propaganda of fear, it's clear we've entered a new era. We just do not know what that is yet, but for now ... May has certainly arrived with quite the bang. (Send us your thoughts on all this at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .)

The month is full of events and unravelings, but taking center stage is the Santa Cruz Film Festival. This year, more  than 160  films representing 33 countries, including 67 that were produced by Santa Cruz/Monterey local filmmakers, all come to life on screen. It’s the 10th year for the festival, so expect a great slew of parties, panel discussions and other events. It all ties into this week’s cover story, too, which focuses on local filmmaker Rocky Romano and his riveting documenary Ruffo. The film chronicles surf legend Anthony Ruffo’s life challenges and illuminates the dangers of drug addiction, among other things. It’s a very “human” story and it plays on closing night of the festival (May 14). Dive into the cover story to learn more. In the meantime, check out this week’s insert, which includes the Film Festival program and all the 411 you’ll need to know about the festival. (Turn to the film section this week, too, for another film fest spotlight.) See you at the movies.

Also inserted in this week’s paper is the First Friday program. This month, the First Friday Art Tour (May 6) promises to be quite the event. There are too many noteworthy happenings unraveling, so take the time to peruse the program—you’ll find it right in the middle of the Film Fest program. See you among the art.

Thanks for reading ...

 

Greg Archer | Editor-in-Chief

Letters to the Editor


SmartMeter: Not So Smart?
Regarding the SmartMeter and some of the articles you ran, PG&E has announced that customers objecting to SmartMeters based on health concerns can "opt out" by paying a fee up front, along with an additional monthly charge. While the health hazards associated with SmartMeters' microwave radiation should be enough to stop their implementation outright, there is a bigger hazard associated with PG&E's pushing these devices on their customers.
Microwave "wireless" signals from a variety of sources saturate us in our neighborhoods and business districts, but Smart Meters pry into our private lives. A Smart Meter gives utility companies a window into our homes, monitoring use of utilities throughout the day. Whereas the older meters merely show how much gas or electricity a customer used in a given amount of time, a SmartMeter will show, for example, that a customer used "x amount" of electricity at 11 a.m., then a lot more at 12 p.m., and then a lot of gas at 1 p.m.
New "Energy Star" appliances will allow the utility company to, by way of the SmartMeter, determine that the customer in question turned on her washing machine at noon, and her dryer at 1 o’clock. The SmartMeter will also allow the utility company to say, "Sorry, you can't do that during peak consumption hours," and simply shut off the offending appliance. The potential for unconstitutional intrusions will only grow as more sophisticated technology is developed. Detailed data about our utility use can reveal a great deal about us, and the potential for abuse of this information is enormous.
It's none of PG&E's business when I turn on a light, or wash my clothes. If I use utilities at peak times, perhaps I should pay more for them, but nobody should be able to just switch me off. Educate customers in sensible use of resources, and we can make our own decisions instead of inviting Big Brother into our homes. Please contact PG&E and tell them that paying extra for a meter that doesn't bathe us in microwaves is not an adequate "opt out" option, and that SmartMeters have to go.
A. Schneider
Santa Cruz

Vacation Rental Redux
I read that his fellow supervisors dutifully exhibited “professional” courtesy (in lieu of any leadership or political change) by allowing 1st District Supervisor John Leopold to create unnecssary, unenforceable and Big Brother type regulations for vacation rentals, contingent upon the other four districts being exempt from most of the nonsense. The published investigation that identified only 24 police reports over two years for vacation units with noise and other problems is a revealing fact.
John seemingly likes to take out a bazooka when only a fly swatter is needed. To put his actions into perspective: there are 550 vacation rentals paying taxes and likely a couple hundred that are not. Estimating a meager 66 percent annual occupancy, that equates to a vacation rental “problem”? Or just 12 per the 180,000 vacation rental days over an entire year. On the other hand, it’s very likely that 12 reports of problems on Pacific Mall are reported daily.
Harding D. McCrat
Freedom

Corrections
GT inadvertently published the wrong phone number in last week's Best Of issue for San Lorenzo Floors, Abbey Carpet, winner for the Best Flooring Company. The correct phone number is 831-461-1300. GT also wishes to acknowledge that an error was made in runners-up for Best Photographer and Best Psychic. The correct runner-up for Photography was Sylvia Valentine Photography. The correct runner-up for Psychic was Santa Cruz Psychic Katie Rose.

durb_watch durb_pic
Will we still love him tomorrow? Sure. Last week The Durb crooned Carole King’s “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” giving it an impressive soulful spin. We’re still in awe. In the meantime, take note of a few spirited Idol viewing nights where locals show up to support James while watching the show. There’s a festive party every Wednesday at Pizza My Heart (2180 41st Ave., Capitola). Ideal Bar & Grill (106 Beach St.] has one with a wild karaoke pre-show beginning at 7 p.m. Also: Carmona’s Barbecue and Deli (1040 East Lake Ave., Watsonville) and Green Valley Grill (40 Penny Lane, Watsonville). Be sure to read our updates online every Thursday and Friday at goodtimessantacruz.com.


Comments (1)Add Comment
SURPRISING INFORMATION ON WIRELESS SMART METERS COMING TO LIGHT
written by RobertWilliams, May 04, 2011
1. INSURANCE COMPANIES WON'T INSURE THE HEALTH PROBLEMS FROM WIRELESS Smart Meters

And Insurance companies don't sacrifice insurance premiums ($$$) for no reason.

TV NEWS VIDEO - Insurance Companies Won't Insure Wireless Device Health Risks (3 minutes, 13 seconds)
http://eon3emfblog.net/?p=382


2. WIRELESS SMART METERS TRANSMIT RADIATION APPROXIMATELY 25,000 TIMES PER DAY, 24/7, not 45 seconds per day as claimed by PG&E.

VIDEO - Radiation Measured From Smart Meter Mounted On A Home (6 minutes, 21 seconds)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRejDxBE6OE


3. CELL DAMAGE, DNA BREAKS & BREACHES IN THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER observed in laboratory tests from low levels of pulsed RF signal radiation as emitted by Wireless smart meters - reported by Top Wireless radiation scientists in the world at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco Nov 18, 2010:
VIDEO - http://electromagnetichealth.o.../cc-video/


4. THE KAROLINSKA INSTITUTE IN STOCKHOLM (the University that gives the Nobel Prizes) ISSUES GLOBAL HEALTH WARNING AGAINST WIRELESS SMART METERS.
2-page Press Release:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/48148346/Karolinska-Institute-Press-Release


...AND in the U.S. & UK and other countries where Wireless smart meters are being installed, energy use is NOT decreasing, customer UTILITY BILLS ARE INCREASING, there are additional PROBLEMS & COSTS incurred from increased SECURITY & HACKING PROBLEMS and the Wireless meters are creating ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE PROBLEMS.

Wireless smart meters are NOT mandated by the US Federal Energy Program, as Utilities pretend.

The Utility companies are salivating over eliminating the jobs of the full-time-with-benefit meter reader employees and replacing them with phone operators in India and the Philippines who read scripts to customers over the phone for $4 per day and NO Benefits.

The monetary transfers from customers to utility companies are huge, the problems are real, but the advertised benefits are NOT occurring.

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Bring Your Own Bag

Single-use plastic bag bans are underway Shoppers in Capitola, Watsonville, the City of Santa Cruz, and the unincorporated parts of the county are, by now, becoming accustomed to the absence of plastic bags. On Sept. 20, 2011, Santa Cruz County became the first local jurisdiction to pass an ordinance that banned single-use plastic bags and implemented a fee for paper bags, which took effect last spring. Watsonville, Capitola, and Santa Cruz followed suit with similar actions: Watsonville’s ordinance went into effect last September, and, as of last month, the bans in Capitola and the City of Santa Cruz are now in place.

 

The Maya-Ixil Move Forward

Local nonprofit works to educate and create opportunity for indigenous communities in Guatemala In an isolated region of the Guatemala mountains called Ixil, the indigenous Maya population was devastated by a civil war between the government and leftist guerrilla factions that spanned 1960 to 1996. During that 36-year war, the Guatemalan military eradicated entire Mayan communities. In what amounted to genocide, soldiers burned Mayan farmlands and homes, raped and tortured the people, and scattered families. By the end of the war, 200,000 Mayans had been killed, 7,000 of whom were Maya-Ixil.

 

Public Thinking

Watsonville teens host TEDx event Santa Cruz County is no stranger to the TED brand. TED—which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design—talks have come to the area through independently organized events 10 times since 2011. This month, the gathering returns to the county with a new twist, thanks to the Watsonville Youth City Council. TEDxYouth@Watsonville, which will take place Sunday, May 19 at the Henry J. Mello Center for the Performing Arts in Watsonville, will feature only speakers younger than 19 years old and will traverse topics from racial stereotypes and renewable energy to traditional Mexican dance.

 

The Tilt

Although Jesse Malley, lead singer of the outlaw country, blues and rock ’n’ roll band The Tilt, no longer lives in Santa Cruz, she was born and raised here and this is where her love of music and performance began. “My dad worked at The Catalyst for 27 years, so I got to see a lot of music acts come through town,” she says. “Music always seemed to me to be such an incredible way to express yourself that I just stumbled upon my voice and jumped into it.” That jump eventually led to Malley heading down to San Diego to pursue a music career, and her band The Tilt has just released their full-length debut, Howlin’.

 

Whole Lotta Blues

The 11-piece, husband-and-wife-led Tedeschi Trucks Band headlines the Santa Cruz Blues Festival Guitarist Derek Trucks and vocalist/guitarist Susan Tedeschi, the husband-and-wife team at the helm of The Tedeschi Trucks Band, have learned that in a band as well as in a marriage, the best way to keep things running smoothly is sometimes to take a step back. That’s especially true when you’re dealing with an 11-piece group that, in addition to its namesakes, features two drummers, a keyboardist/flautist, a three-piece horn section and two harmony vocalists.

 

Beck to the Future

In celebration of Beck’s solo acoustic show at The Rio, GT explores Song Reader, the alternative rock icon’s most ambitious interactive art piece yet. Here’s an odd little paradox of the digital revolution: The more sophisticated our technology gets, the more our musical milieu begins to resemble that of a bygone era, when song ideas were passed around from musician to musician, perpetually taking on new twists. Dozens of different YouTube users might try their hand at setting somebody’s rant about cats or double rainbows to music, or you might hear the Belgian musician Gotye turning the many and varied covers of his song “Somebody That I Used to Know” into a virtual orchestra (see below).

 

Land of Lions

New research provides foundation to look at protecting mountain lions, particularly when it comes to Highway 17 An adult male mountain lion called simply “Number 16” by the Santa Cruz Puma Project led a scientifically interesting life for the more than two-year period he was tracked by the UC Santa Cruz-based research project. According to Chris Wilmers, associate professor of environmental studies at UCSC and head of the Puma Project, the group initially caught and collared Number 16 in Loch Lomond. He then proceeded to cross Highway 17 several times, where he was eventually was hit, but survived. In an unusual move for an adult male, Number 16 then shifted his home range to the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park. Recently, the lion’s tracking collar went on “mortality mode.” The day before Wilmers spoke to Good Times, the researchers found his skeleton.

 

So Sleep (Pralaya) Does Not Overtake Us

Sunday is Pentecost, a festival of the Holy Spirit (Ray 3 of Divine Intelligence). Pentecost is the name given to the descent of the Holy Spirit as tongues of fire appearing above the heads of Christ’s (Piscean World Teacher) Disciples (students) in an upper room (plane of the Mind). Pentecost is not a simple bible story. It’s an actual experience for each individual as the Light of the Soul begins to direct the personality with spiritual gifts and virtues – wisdom, understanding (all ideas, all hearts), knowledge and Right Judgment (directing the intellect), wonder, fortitude/courage and respect/reverence (directing our willingness to serve).

 

Legal Battles Drag On

More than a year after the 75 River St. occupation, four defendants remain embroiled in ongoing case  More than a year and a half since a group occupied the former Wells Fargo building on River Street in an act of protest, felony charges linger on for four of the original defendants and a trial may be imminent. Gabriella Ripley-Phipps, Brent Adams, Cameron Laurendeau and Franklin Alcantara were scheduled to begin trial May 13 in connection with the late 2011 protest. That trial now has been pushed back to September due to scheduling conflicts. The four face a felony charge of vandalism and a misdemeanor for trespassing.

 

Bringing the Message Home

Former mayor and UCSC student recap their experiences at the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women While traveling to New York for the 57th United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), seasoned local activist Jane Weed-Pomerantz had a notion of what to expect. But, with the vast scope of worldwide women’s rights violations presented at the commission, she knew she would still be taken aback at times. “I was worried because I had a feeling I would be finding out what I did find out about women and girls in the world,” says Weed-Pomerantz. “I was trying to brace myself for the knowledge of the reality, because we are really very protected in this country.”
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May Day in the Alps

When my daughter returns to Santa Cruz from her new home in Los Angeles, she comments on how quiet it is here. It was even more so during a trip to Ben Lomond, when we set out for a sample of her second favorite macaroni and cheese. Sitting at the front of the Tyrolean Inn restaurant, the green tarp with plastic windows kept out the chill as well as the noise of an occasional passing car. A new draft beer celebrating the German spring, Maibok ($6) was refreshing, served in a hefty glass stein, but specialty cocktails are unique as well.

 

The Power of Conversation

Local author Cecile Andrews emphasizes importance of community engagement in newest book Cecile Andrews, author of the new book “Living Room Revolution: A Handbook for Conversation, Community and the Common Good,” probably wouldn’t get along too well with Larry David’s character from HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, known for hiding his face and avoiding communication with anyone he runs into on the street. Andrews is a longstanding part-time Santa Cruz (part-time Seattle) resident who says something that’s struck her about this town over the years is people's willingness to participate in a practice she’s dubbed the “Stop and Chat”—which is exactly what it sounds like.

 

What are you a total sucker for?

A cold beer after a long bike ride, gossip, and fighting over politics. Kyle McKinley Santa Cruz | Lecturer

 

Best of Santa Cruz County

The 2013 Santa Cruz County Readers' Poll and Critics’ Picks It’s our biggest issue of the year, and in it, your votes—more than 6,500 of them—determined the winners of The Best of Santa Cruz County Readers’ Poll. New to the long list of local restaurants, shops and other notables that captured your interest: Best Beer Selection, Best Locally Owned Business, Best Customer Service and Best Marijuana Dispensary. In the meantime, many readers were ever so chatty online about potential new categories. Some of the suggestions that stood out: Best Teen Program and Best Web Design/Designer. But what about: Dog Park, Church, Hotel, Local Farm, Therapist (I second that!) or Sports Bar—not to be confused with Bra. Our favorite suggestion: Best Act of Kindness—one reader noted Café Gratitude and the free meals it offered to the Santa Cruz Police Department in the aftermath of recent crimes. Perhaps some of these can be woven into next year’s ballot, so stay tuned. In the meantime, enjoy the following pages and take note of our Critics’ Picks, too, beginning on page 91. A big thanks for voting—and for reading—and an even bigger congratulations to all of the winners. Enjoy.  -Greg Archer, EditorBest of Santa Cruz County Readers’ Poll INDEX | Shops | Food & Drink | Arts & Entertainment | Health & Fitness | Professionals | The Rest |

 

Vine & Dine: Pine Ridge Vineyards

Chenin Blanc + Viognier 2012 On a recent trip to Palm Springs, I came across Pine Ridge Vineyards’ Chenin Blanc + Viognier at a new downtown restaurant called Lulu. Superbly decorated in Hollywood-esque style and with a very hip vibe, this California bistro is one of the hottest new dining spots—and the Chenin Blanc was just the right wine to pair with some of Lulu’s Happy Hour tapas-style food. And eating outdoors in the desert’s warm night air makes a chilled white wine taste even better.

 

Making Sense of Soul

Allen Stone wants to give R&B back some of its depth Whether fairly or unfairly, R&B and soul music often get typecast. Much of the music is groove-inducing and has an overtly romantic, sensual or sexual side to it, and the suggestive lyrics only reinforce this mood. That is fine and well, but for R&B and soul singer Allen Stone, it is not enough. “I love music that’s about love, and I love R&B songs, but I also like songs that have influence on culture,” Stone says. "I believe that if you’re given a microphone you need to use it in a positive way, and I feel like pop culture, more often than not, doesn’t. I think that [pop stars] are very bad stewards of the microphone they’ve been given, and the voices they’ve been given, and they tend to talk about pretty futile and shallow things, rather than subjects which uplift the children in our culture, or the teenage culture, or the young adult generation. If you’re given a microphone, you should say something that’s deeper than, ‘I’m going to the club and I’m going to drink cognac.’”

 

Step on up to the Bar

Here in Santa Cruz County, we are privileged to have farm-fresh greens year-round. Making a nightly salad at home is a snap since the emergence of pre-washed greens, and vinaigrette dressing is made easily with your favorite vinegar and small spoon of Dijon mustard whisked with a bit of olive oil.

 

Exposed

David Cay Johnston’s new book explains how big companies rob us blind In his late teens David Cay Johnston started to ask questions. “Why do we have these guys in uniforms with guns driving around in cars all day?” “Why is the Santa Cruz County Courthouse being built in such an unusual shape?” He wrote an article, while still living in his hometown of Santa Cruz, proving that the off-kilter courthouse building, which officials had promised would save money, actually cost more than a conventional building.

 

Do you unplug often enough? Or do you need help?

Santa Cruz | Caregiver